Levy and the Metal-head
by Murasaki94
Summary: Levy has always had feelings for a certain gruff dragonslayer. What happens when team Shadow Gear embarks on a treacherous cross continent adventure accompanied by Gajeel? Will romance blossom between the iron dragon slayer and script mage? Do opposites really attract? Possibly expect a rating change. I do not own Fairytail. All of those rights belong to Hiro Mashima.
1. Chapter 1

It was another lively day at Fairytail. The sun was shining in Magnolia, and an iron dragon slayer was feeling restless. The dragon slayer in question was sitting across from a slight blue haired mage with his trusty exceed by his side. Levy had her nose tucked in a book, while the other two members of her team had been called away by Natsu, who had challenged them to a tournament of his design.

"Hey Levy, don't you ever get tired of reading them things? I'm surprised that this city hasn't run out of books that you haven't got your hands on yet." Gajeel leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed and tilted his head back to look down at Levy as he spoke.

Levy looked up from her book and blushed self-consciously. "Well, actually, I've had to start ordering books from out of town and having them shipped to me."

Gajeel looked slightly taken aback but then quickly recovered. Rubbing the back of his neck he said "Honestly, I'm not so surprised."

Across the room Lucy sat at the bar across from Mira. "Hey Mira," Lucy said "haven't Levy and Gajeel been hanging out a lot lately?

"It seems like every time Levy is away from Jet and Droy she winds up sitting with him."

Mira smiled knowingly, ever ready to play the matchmaker. "It looks like they are pretty cozy over there."

Lucy and Mira chuckled together. (Cue Happy tongue rolling)

Gajeel's sensitive ears twitched and he let out an annoyed sigh. As he got up to leave, Levy looked up suddenly. "Ah, Gajeel-kun, what is it?" She inquired, puzzled by his sudden intended departure.

"Don't worry about it, short stuff. I just got better stuff to do." Came his short reply.

"Mhm. Ok." Levy's attention was quickly captured by the pages in front of her.

Gajeel walked out of the guild, followed by Lily. Jet and Droy hurried passed him on their way over to Levy's table. They watched his exit warily.

"Hi Levy." Said Jet.

"Hi guys. How was the "tournament"?"

"Eh, well Natsu got a little too fired up and he ended up wrecking the obstacle course that he and Happy made. Not that it really took that much to do it in anyway. Hey Levy, we have something that we wanted to ask you."

Levy looked at Jet with interest. "What is it?" She asked.

"Well, we've been a team for quite some time now, and we are just concerned that something might come between us one day." Droy said.

Levy looked back and forth between her partners. "Huh? Why would you guys think that? That could never happen. You two are my best friends." Levy smiled reassuringly at her partners.

"We know Levy. We were just worried because we overheard Lucy talking to Natsu the other day, and she hinted that you might have a thing for Gajeel." Droy said doubtfully.

At these words, Levy's face turned a shade of bright red and she clasped her hands tightly in her lap.

Jet studed Levy's face as he spoke. "I know that it's not really any of our business, but we were worried that if Gajeel ever became your boyfriend, that it might change what we have now."

Levy blinked, stunned. "What are you guys talking about? Me and Gajeel? He's just a friend." Levy spoke as if trying to convince herself.

"Oh. Ok Levy. Sorry to bother you about that. I just really like the way things are now with us Shadow Gear. " Said Jet looking relieved.

"Yeah, good to know. " Said Droy looking equally happy.

Unannounced to the script mage and her friends, an iron dragon slayer had witnessed the whole conversation. Gajeel had forgotten a job form he was going to take, and had slipped back into the guild unnoticed to retrieve it. Hearing that he was the topic of discussion, he had quietly eavesdropped from behind a pillar near the front.

Needless to say, this conversation had given him a lot to think about on his way home.

'Got a thing for me, huh?' Gajeel thought as he strode along the road. His hands were in his pockets and he stared thoughtfully at the ground.

'Never would have 'spected the shrimp to go for anyone who wasn't the booksey weak lookin' type.'

Gajeel remembered how Levy's face looked as she concentrated while reading a book and how small and slight she seemed when she faced down Laxus and Phantom's mages.

'That girl is gonna need someone who can protect her.' Gajeel looked down at his scarred and pierced arms. 'Not someone who's already hurt her. What the hell is she thinking. She's gone and fooled us that she's smart, but she'd have to be a moron to pick someone like me.'

Panthalily, quiet and observant as ever, studied Gajeel's behavior as they walked home.


	2. Chapter 2

Levy McGarden woke up the next morning to golden sun rays filtering through her ginger colored curtains. Mornings and evenings always set her warm colored room aglow. Levy sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes, her blue locks looking tousled and standing up in some places. She had barely stretch and climbed out of bed when she heard her name being called outside of her window.

"Levy!" Two voices called in unison. She walked to her window and pushed it open. "Morning Jet, Droy!" She called down to the two mages standing on the lawn of Fairy Hills.

"Levy, you look so cute in the morning!" Droy exclaimed.

"Hey Levy, will you be ready soon?" asked Jet

"Yep, I'll be down in a little bit!" Levy smiled at her partners and closed her window.

Panthalily looked into Gajeel's bedroom to see his friend sprawled out on his bed. Gajeel's mouth was hanging open and his legs were tangled up in his sheets.

"Hmp." Panthalily went up to Gajeel and plopped a sunny side up egg in his mouth. Gajeel woke up choking and writhed about in his bed for a moment before glaring at Lilly. "What's the big idea?!" Gajeel exclaimed. "You tryin' to kill me?"

Panthalily looked at the iron dragon slayer, unfazed. "Oh, I see you are awake." He replied calmly.

Gajeel, aghast, looked at Panthalily with his jaw hanging open. Panthalily took the opportunity to insert another egg. "Amphskist!" Gajeel tried not to choke again and swallowed his unexpected breakfast.

Panthalily started to walk out of the bedroom, calling back as he did "Come on. We can hardly get this day off to a productive start with you sleeping in so late. "

Gajeel let out an exasperated sigh. "What the hell man. I'm going back to sleep." He said while laying back down.

Panthalily stopped with a mischievous look on his face. "Dreaming about Levy, are we?" He asked slyly.

Gajeel Sat straight up in bed with an indignant shout. "Oy, what are you talking about?" He threw one of his pillows at the exceed. "Don't tell me you buy that crap they were going on about yesterday!"

Panthalily said nothing but chucked with a sparkle in his eye. Gajeel rolled his eyes to this.

"Alright. Let's get going." Gajeel said, wondering if the world had gone crazy.

Team Shadow Gear walked in to the guild and was met by the usual cacophony of laughter, shouting and general rowdiness that seemed to follow the members of Fairytail wherever they went. Besides the usual clash of fire and ice, Macao and Wakaba were carrying on a conversation unfit for little Fairy ears about the similarities and variations of certain characteristics of the women in the guild. Macao said something "Lucy" and Wakaba got very animated and responded with something "Mirajane", which Elfman happened to overhear, to Wakaba's misfortune. Wakaba paled as Elfman's figure towered over him, trembling with anger. Wakaba opened his mouth to apologize, explain, or beg for mercy, which one, we'll never know, because Elfman sent him flying through the roof. The new hole in the roof was situated next to a dozen others that had been patched up with boards. Reedus looked up at the roof dolefully. "And I just finished fixing the last one. There's no point in fixing it until Natsu goes on a job."

Mirajane went over to Elfman and patted his arm in what could have been consolidation, or congratulations.

Levy watched as the events progressed in amusement until movement over by the job board caught her eye. Jet and Droy were gesturing at something excitedly, but acting almost hesitant. Curiosity drew Levy over to them to see what they were going on about.

Levy purposefully stuck up behind them, and with a grin she said "HEY!"

Jet and Droy jumped, startled, and then looked at Levy guiltily. "What are you guys doing?" Levy asked playfully. Then she spotted the parchment they held in their hands. She glimpsed some stylized runes on the paper right before Jet hid it behind his back. "Nothing much, Levy."

A frown creased Levy's delicate brow. "What do you have there, Jet?"

Jet stood there frozen under Levy's searching gaze. "Nothing." He mumbled looking down at the ground, cheeks flushed. As Levy stared him down, Lucy appeared behind Jet and snatched the paper away. "AH-HA!" She exclaimed triumphantly. "Good job, Lu-chan!" Levy called.

As her friend scanned the paper, Levy hurried over to read it over her shoulder. It was a job request featuring an illustration of a scroll and curvy graceful script at the bottom. The letters were beautiful, but that wasn't what struck Levy. She had never seen script like this before. It had been a long time since she had seen words she couldn't read. Levy read the job description in fascination:

IN NEED OF A SCRIPT MAGE

Script mage and body guards needed to escort me, ELAINA QUILRIDGE, across continents to the country Desierto. Seeking rare ancient script. Leave next month.

Levy felt her heart beat faster in excitement. She now understood why her partners were torn about showing her this. It was an extremely difficult job, but they knew that once she saw what it was for, there would be no dissuading her.

Levy took the paper from her friend's hand and walked straight up the bar. She held the paper out to Mirajane and said, "Team Shadow Gear would like to take this job."

Mirajane looked at the paper that Levy was holding out. "That's…"

"That job was supposed to be posted as an S class." Markarov intoned quietly. His gaze fell upon Jet and Droy. They immediately clung to each other in terror. "We found it posted down here, Master." Droy pleaded. Markarov took one look at them and nodded. "I do not believe that you two would take a job from the S class board. Unless…" the Master glanced at Levy and the male half of team Shadow Gear shivered.

"Master." Mirajane stepped forward. "It was my mistake. I must have posted it with the others down here. Gomene."

Markarov crumbled under Mirajane's smile. He himself grinned lecherously and said "Well, I guess it's alright. Everybody makes mistakes. Tee hee!"

Team Shadow Gear visibly relaxed. Levy was undeterred. "Master, can we still take this job?" she pleaded. The lure of an ancient script was to temping to ignore.

Markarov sighed as Levy's eyes grew wide and searching. "I cannot allow you to take this job. I feel like it is beyond your abilities. I cannot allow you to put yourselves in that kind of danger."

At this moment, Gajeel entered the guild accompanied by Pantherlily. No sooner than Gajeel had entered the guild Natsu ran up to him, stomping his feet sumo wrestler style and breathing fire. Natsu flew across the guild when Gajeel extended one of his arms into a pole and flattened his face. "Too early in the morning for that, brat." Gajeel growled as he proceeded to his usual spot.

"Master, would you allow them to go if they were accompanied by someone with strong combative abilities?"Mirajane asked.

Markarov rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know about that."

Levy started to look hopeful. "Master, I think maybe this job is just what we need. How are we ever going to get stronger if we don't challenge ourselves? If we bring somebody really good at fighting, we'll be a lot safer, and I promise not to take any risks, please?" Levy implored.

"Gajeel could go with them." Mirajane suggested.

Gajeel grew tense where he sat.

Markarov was starting to feel double teamed. "I'd be willing to consider it if he would agree to accompany them."

'No way in hell I'll agree to go with those nerds.' Gajeel thought to himself.

Levy's face lit up like it was Christmas. Gajeel stared at her. His decision had just gotten a whole lot harder.


End file.
